As one of the first steps towards implementation of the Right to Education Act (RTE), which came into being on April 1, the Delhi government has issued guidelines for constitution of parents teachers association (PTA) in aided and unaided schools.
In a circular dated April12, the Directorate of Education mentions that the PTA shall comprise of two bodies - a general body and a executive committee.
The general body will have all the parents of the students studying in a school as its members. The principal and teachers shall be ex-officio members.
The executive committee will consist of a chairman who will be the principal of the school and there will be two elected members (one male and one female ) — one from among the parents and one from the teachers will be the vice-chairman.
Once a child leaves the school parents will cease to be members or office bearers of the PTA of the school. The election of the office bearers will be held in the last week of April of every alternate year beginning from the current academic year.
The general body meeting has to be convened at least once a year and the executive committee can meet as often as necessary but atleast once in two months.
{{/usCountry}}The general body meeting has to be convened at least once a year and the executive committee can meet as often as necessary but atleast once in two months.
{{/usCountry}}Section IV, clause 21 of the RTE states: “A school shall constitute a school management committee consisting of elected representatives of the local authority, parents or guardians of children admitted in such school and teachers.”
“The policy statement is still being framed. Since parents are equal stakeholders along with the teachers their opinions in formulating any guideline or policy is important,” said Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely.